Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-02-03
In A CAVE OF GOLD.
A Bewildering Story of Lost Riches Which
We're Searched for, for Many Years.
Laramie Boone rang

Bewildering Story of Lost Riches Which
We're Searched for. for Many Years
Laramie Boomerang.
On the northern border of the great
National Park, where rise the towering
peaks of the Snow mountains, there has
long lived a man known as '.The Wander
er." This man has never. had, in the
many years he has been known to the
hunters and trappers of the region, any
settled habitatiOn, but has wandered
backward and forward through the Snow
mountains apparently ever on the search
for something. Scattered through the
mountains be had several rude huts in
which he sejourned for few days at a
time, only to take up again the weary
circle of his endless search. By the men
of rifle and trap he had long been consid-
cred crazy, and the Indians of the section
had evidently thought the same of him,
and, the well-known pity entertained by
the red tribes for those mentally afflicted
by the Great Spirit, have never molested
him In any way. From a hunter and
trapper of the Snow mountains, who were
In Laramie few days since, the scribe
learned of the "Wanderer's" singular life
and of his death, which took place some
two months ago. The old man was found
IN one of his numerous hating places
by party of hunters several days after
his wanderings had ceased forever.
An examination of the papers on his
person showed that his had been mad
ness full of method and revealed a tale
before which the story of Ali Bahia and
the robbers cave pales into insigniicance.
The old man whose name was ascertained
to be Arthur Bethany, though he had
probable not heard it called for a score
of years, came to the Snow mountains 25
years ago in the prime and vigor of
youthful manhood. A native of PennsyI-
vania his youthful blood had been fired
by accounts of the great west, and he had
started for the new country, joining an
exploring and hunting party at st. Louis
The party penetrated into Wyoming,
passed through the Big Horn basin, and
In the late fall of 1861 found themselves
on the head-waters of the Clarke fork of
the Yellowstone.
Following up the Clarke fork they soon
came upon the canon of the stream, and
entering it passed through and came out
amOung the mountains in the confines of
the great National park Here thew in
augurated a grand hunt among the noun
tain game they found SO plentiful One
day Bethany wandered away from the
party IN pursuit of bear he had wound.
ed, and followed the trail into the Snow
mountains. In deep and rocky gorge
he ran his game to earth and saw him
enter an opening in the side of the gorge.
On approaching the opening he saw that
1t must lead into cavern of considerable
extent, and at once boldly followed the
game. He soon found the bear, just dead
from its wounds.
But where did he find it? In the midst
of scene of dazzling splen-
dor. The entire interior of the cavern
was a mass of virgin gold studded with
gems. From seams overhead there
came only small amount of light, and
in the semi obscurity the gems gave
forth a luminous rays, and the pure ore
filled the cabin with a golden sheen.
Scarcely able to believe the evidence of
his senses, Bethany examined the prec-
lous stones of the cavern, at first with
fear and trembling, and then with the
widest transports of joy. In the narrow
rocky seams which traversed the goldsn
mass of the cavern walls, he recognized
the diamonds brilliant white, the red
flame of the ruby aud the beautiful blue
ism green peculiar to the turquoise. With
tuously, Bethany left the gorgeous cav
ern to tell his comrades of his extraordi-
nary discovery, for there was riches
enough there to make them all Roths-
chllds. But scarcely had he emerged
from the cavern when he found himself
enveloped in sudden and whirling
mountain snowstorm. In vain he tried
again to find the cavern entrance, and
his search he mnst have wandered away
from the locality. All night the storm
ragged, and when morning came cold and
gray, he found that he was hopelessly
lost. The snow covered the ground to
the depth of many inches, and he could
neither find the cave Or his way back to
his companions. To be brief he passed
the long winter amid the deep mountain
SHOWS, and when spring came at last he
renewed his search for the cavern of
gold and gems, and searched for it until
he laid down to die, two months ago.
Insulted at Last
It'd bits.
"Did you see that notice of your mar